Honey Granulating

[Swift Nick]

Hi,
The honey I harvested this year has started to granulate in the jars, it is starting to form a haze in the bottom of the jar, some has gone further and is beginning to turn to a gel. It may have got too cold in my house. I have moved the honey to a warmer part of the house.
Can you de-granulate the honey? Or is it destined to go solid?
Thanks Nick

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

warm it up, no problem, just not too hot. usually between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius does it.

 

[Swift Nick]

Thanks, if I use a heated cabinet can I keep the lids on the jars?

 

[Hivemaker.]

Yes.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I have only one years experience of granulation in honey that's been kept too cold even for one night. Half my honey granulated in exactly the way you describe it and I warmed it until the granulation went away -- but it came back quite quickly even when kept in a warmish place. Not a problem, people bought it anyway and no one complained. I have had a jar myself and it's fine; I don't worry about it anymore.

 

[enrico]

Every drop of honey his different. Some will never granulate, some will go rock hard, some will go like fudge and some like jelly, you can even get two types in one jar where the bottom goes rock hard but the top stays runny with a a sort of haze in the middle. It is a natural occurrence depending on what flora was around when the nectar was being stored. Heating can reverse the process. But why bother. Love the honey you have for its qualities and look forward to next year's which may be very different!
E

 

[beebopper]

warm it up, no problem, just not too hot. usually between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius does it.

I have had to do this a few times. Was wondering if you would still call this Raw honey. I have had a couple of people ask when buying. I have just told them how it was processed and let them decide they like to have some.

 

[Poly Hive]

I have no idea where this raw business had popped up from. Though I have my suspicions.. looking darkly to the west of the Atlantic.

It's a meaningless word AFAIK so far and probably yet another fad.

PH

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have had to do this a few times. Was wondering if you would still call this Raw honey.

As raw honey has no legal definition or standing in law, why not?
As you can see from other threads the term 'Raw' is being clamped down upon by trading standards and should not be used in any claims or labelling.

 

[Swarm]

It seems a simplistic way of saying natural, unprocessed. The term 'raw' honey is widely used in the Antipodes as well.

Enrico sums it up sublimely

 

[wendyt]

I just stand my jars on the side the Rayburn, soon turns back to
runny honey...

 

[ShinySideUp]

There are a few definintions of 'raw' but in general it means 'uncooked', so unless you have taken to boiling your honey in such a way that it changes state then I would say that all honey is 'raw', even that by large producers such as Rowse. I think I would prefer the term 'pure' -- my actual preference, and a more accurate one, would be 'unadulterated' but that might make the labels appear a little too high-brow for the six-toed amongst the general population.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Raw - a wooly meaningless term thus trading standards frown at and are discussing a national response to it.
Pure - again TS are not happy with the claim, in the end, we all boast about our honey not being messed about and not filtered therefore there will be, and should be pollen in it - thus not pure honey.

 

[Millet]

Raw to me is when you skid over on a tarmac road and skin your knees...

 

[Hivemaker.]

I think I would prefer the term 'pure' -- my actual preference, and a more accurate one, would be 'unadulterated'

This would be the best one................. HONEY.

 

[Repwoc]

... unless you have taken to boiling your honey in such a way that it changes state

I don't think it's necessary to boil honey to denature it. So if heating it sufficiently to make it go quickly through a filter is sufficient to denature it, I would say that is akin to cooking it.

What we need it a term that means 'unheated'. A bit like 'unpasteurised' in the dairy world.

 

[Hivemaker.]

What we need it a term that means 'unheated'. A bit like 'unpasteurised' in the dairy world.

How about....unheated.

 

[Repwoc]

I think 'Raw' is good. And if TS argue that means uncooked, then that's fine because my honey is not cooked.

 

[Beefriendly]

Natural......

 

[Curley]

I think any of the terms discussed, Raw, Natural, Unrefined, Pure etc are hostages to fortune. If you have so much as put the honey through a 1mm screen to remove debris or warmed it so it moves a bit easier, then you have treated the honey in some way. Much better to go with being proud of your honey's area of origin, and be prepared to discuss your handling process. YMMV